MMPs are a family of zinc-dependent enzymes comprised of more than 25 individual members divided into specific classes based on in vitro substrate specificity for various ECM components. The most important ones are given in Table I.
TABLE IMMP superfamilyGroupMMPNameSize (kD)Collagenase1Interstitial52/55collagenase8Neutrophil75collagenase13Collagenase-354Gelatinase2Gelatinase A729Gelatinase B92Stromelysin3Stromelysin-152/587Matrilysin2810Stromelysin-25811Stromelysin-329Elastase12Metalloelastase53Membrane type14MT1-MMP6615MT2-MMP7616MT3-MMP7017MT4-MMP5324MT5-MMP6325MT6-MMP65The table was imported from Lindsey, 2004.
Timely degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important feature of development, morphogenesis, tissue repair and remodelling. It is precisely regulated under normal physiological conditions, but when dysregulated it becomes a cause of many diseases such as arthritis, nephritis, cancer, encephalomyelitis, chronic ulcers, fibrosis etc. Uncontrolled ECM remodelling of the myocardium and vasculature are features of cardiovascular disorders such as atherosclerosis, stenosis, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure and aneurysm. MMP roles in normal and pathophysiological processes have been demonstrated and a partial list of diseases is provided in Table II.
TABLE IIThe role of MMPs in different pathologiesType ofMMPDiseaseSourceReferencesMMP-1Atherosclerosis, Melanoma,Human(Lehrke et al., 2009);Heart failureMMP-2Heart failure, Gastritis,Human(Lin et al., 2009);Rheumatoid arthritis(Yoshida et al., 2009)MMP-3Brain injury, NeurodegenarationHuman,(Grossetete et al., 2009);Rat(McClain et al., 2009)MMP-7Tumor-induced osteolysis,Mice,(Thiolloy et al., 2009);Colon cancerHT29(Fang et al., 2009)cellsMMP-8Coronary artery disease, AnginaHuman(Shah et al., 2009);(Momiyama et al., 2009)MMP-9Myocarditis and subsequentRat(Matsumoto et al., 2009)dilated cardiomyopathyMMP-10Marfan's syndrome,Human(Do & Nataatmadja) 2007);Lung cancer(Zhang et al., 2007)MMP-11Tumor progression,Human(Matziari et al., 2007);Breast carcinomas(Selvey et al., 2004)MMP-12Granulomatous skin diseases,Human(Vaalamo et al., 1999);Inflammatory disorders(Lagente et al., 2009)MMP-13Breast carcinomasHuman(Zhang et al., 2008);Membrane -Tumor growth by activatingHuman(Lang et al., 2004);type MMPsMMP-2Rat(Davis & Saunders, 2006);(Hernandez-Barrantes et al., 2002)MMP-19Rheumatoid arthritisHuman(Sedlacek et al., 1998);MMP-20Amelogenesis imperfectaHuman(Stephanopoulos et al., 2005)MMP-21Melanoma, ovarian and ColonHuman(Kuivanen et al., 2005);carcinomas(Ahokas et al., 2002)MMP-22No data availableMMP-23Breast cancerHuman(Hegedus et al., 2008)MMP-24Brain tumorsHuman(Llano et al., 1999)MMP-25Inflammatory hyperalgesiaMice(Folgueras et al., 2009)MMP-26Lung cancerHuman(Li et al., 2009)The table was imported from (Kupai et al., 2010).